Agenda and minutes

Venue: Council Chamber - County Hall, Llandrindod Wells

Contact: Stephen Boyd  01597 826374

Items
No. Item

CC15- 2016

Apologies

To receive apologies for absence.

Minutes:

Apologies for absence were received from County Councillors G J Bowker, MJB Davies, C J Gibson-Watt, G G Hopkins, Eldrydd M Jones, D W Meredith and J G Shearer.

 

Councillors asked that the Chair to write to Councillor Bowker with their congratulations on the birth of her daughter.

CC16- 2016

Minutes pdf icon PDF 162 KB

To authorise the Chair to sign the minutes of the last meeting held on 20th January 2016 as a correct record.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

The Chair was authorised to sign the minutes of the meeting held on 20th January 2016 as a correct record.   

 

CC17- 2016

Declarations of Interest

To receive any declarations of interest from Members relating to items to be considered on the agenda.

Minutes:

County Councillor TJ Van-Rees declared a prejudicial interest when the County Farms Estate was discussed as part of the debate on the Capital Programme.

 

CC18- 2016

Revised Minimum Revenue Provision Annual Statement 2016/17 pdf icon PDF 125 KB

To consider the Revised Minimum Revenue Provision Annual Statement for 2016/17.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Council considered the method used to calculate the Minimum Revenue Provision (MRP) for 2016/17. The Portfolio Holder for Finance explained that Minimum Revenue Provision was the annual charge that local authorities are required to make for the repayment of debt liability and should be seen in the context of the capital financing requirement that is capital expenditure not financed from revenue resources, capital grants or receipts, but from borrowing. It was proposed to change the method of calculating the MRP from a 4% rate on a reducing basis to 2% on a straight line basis. Detailed independent professional advice had been obtained and that the Auditor General of WAO recently wrote to all Welsh authorities confirming that the adjustment to policy was a matter for local determination. The Portfolio Holder for Finance explained that this would shorten the period over which loans were repaid and bring greater certainty to the period of time future payments would be required. It was estimated that changing to this method would save £3m in 2016/17.

 

 

RESOLVED

Reason for Decision:

 

1.    To use a 2% straight line calculation for MRP in relation to Supported Borrowing.

Statutory Requirement

2.    To use Option 3 Asset Life Annuity Method for the calculation of MRP in relation to Prudential Borrowing.

Statutory Requirement

3.    To use a 2% reducing balance for MRP in relation to Historic and the Settlement Debt for the HRA

Statutory Requirement

4.    To use Option 3 Asset Life for the calculation of MRP in relation to Prudential Borrowing for the HRA

Statutory Requirement

5.    To take advantage of the guidance that allows for MRP to be deferred for assets under construction.

To match the cost of MRP to the use of an asset by a service.

 

CC19- 2016

Budget for 2016/17, Medium Term Financial Strategy and Capital Programme for 2016-2021 pdf icon PDF 193 KB

To consider the budget for 2016/17, the Medium Term Financial Strategy and the Capital Programme for 2016-2021.

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Council considered the budget for 2016/17, the Medium Term Financial Strategy 2016/2019 and Capital Programme 2016/2021. (Copy filed with the signed minutes).

 

The Portfolio Holder for Finance explained that in addition to presenting a balanced budget for 2016/17, the Medium Term Financial Strategy set out provisional proposals up to 31st March 2019, giving a balanced three year position. In presenting the report the Portfolio Holder thanked his colleagues on the Cabinet, members of Scrutiny and officers for their work in shaping the budget. He also acknowledged the additional funding made available by Welsh Government and the support of Assembly Members in lobbying for this which meant that the Cabinet did not have to bring forward a number of cuts to services that had been under consideration. The Portfolio Holder for Finance reminded Council of the savings already achieved and of the savings still to be made up to 2020. Despite the need to make savings the Cabinet were recommending protection for the schools budget of £1.273m and additional 2% funding for the Adult Social Care budget as there had been clear public support for this in the consultation. The Portfolio Holder for Finance explained that the approach taken by the Cabinet was to deliver a budget for change which kept front line services intact by supporting the transformation agenda. Cabinet was recommending a 4.25% rise in Council Tax and the Portfolio Holder for Finance explained that £500,000 had been taken from reserves to reduce the recommended rise from 5%.

 

Portfolio Holders answered questions from Members. In response to comments about the Single Integrated Impact Assessments, the Portfolio Holder for Finance agreed that they needed to be more consistently and accurately completed and he advised that training and guidance would be provided for officers completing them. Training would also be provided for portfolio holders who were required to sign them off. Work on next year’s SIIAs would start in April and May. 

 

A number of Members expressed concerns about some of the savings proposed and challenged Portfolio Holders on the impact of savings on services. The Portfolio Holder for Finance explained that cuts of the scale the Council had to deliver required a rethink on how services were delivered including transferring services to communities as an alternative to withdrawing them. A number of members argued that the level of Council Tax proposed was unaffordable and that the funding formula was unfair. The Portfolio Holder for Finance advised that to set the Council Tax lower would be to risk any future support from Welsh Government and that he understood that the funding formula was under review.  

 

County Councillor P Harris left at 11.58 a.m.

County Councillor WD Powell arrived at 12.35 p.m.

 

It was moved by County Councillor DR Price and seconded by County Councillor AG Thomas that the matter be put.

 

RESOLVED that the matter be put.

 

The Portfolio Holder for Finance moved the recommendations in the report, duly seconded and it was

 

RESOLVED

Reason for Decision:

 

1.    To approve  ...  view the full minutes text for item CC19- 2016

CC20- 2016

Appointment to Care and Repair

To consider appointing a member to serve on Care and Repair.

Minutes:

Council was asked to consider making an appointment to Care and Repair. County Councillors G.M. Jones and K.M. Roberts-Jones were nominated. Following a ballot it was

 

RESOLVED

Reason for Decision

That County Councillor K.M. Roberts-Jones be nominated to represent the Council on Care and Repair.

To ensure Council representation.

 

CC21- 2016

Question to the Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability from County Councillor Gareth Ratcliffe pdf icon PDF 52 KB

1. Can the portfolio holder please provide the number of households still on purple sacks collection and provide a rationale in coming to the decision on costs of replacement purple sacks?

 

2. Could the portfolio holder provide the costs for other councils on the sack system?

 

Minutes:

1.         Can the portfolio holder please provide the number of households still on purple sacks collection and provide a rationale in coming to the decision on costs of replacement purple sacks?

 

2.         Could the portfolio holder provide the costs for other councils on the sack system?

 

1.         There are currently 13,700 properties that receive a collection of their residual waste in purple sacks.  These are properties that are considered unsuitable for a wheeled bin which is the preferred option where they can be accommodated.  Each property receives an annual allocation of free purple sacks (3 rolls of 26 bags) which is the equivalent of a full standard 180 litre wheeled bin collected every three weeks.  This means that all properties, regardless of whether they are on purple sacks or wheeled bins, have the same capacity for their residual waste over a twelve month period.  If any resident requires extra capacity they are required to purchase additional purple sacks. 

 

The cost of the additional sacks at £51.88 per roll of 26 is to cover the costs of collection and disposal and also to encourage residents to increase the amount they recycle and hence reduce any need for additional residual capacity.  There is no limit to the amount of recycling containers that households can have and put out.

 

2.      Authorities across Wales offer a number of different systems for the collection of residual waste which does make a comparison of the cost of bags difficult.  Cardiff City Council does have a similar system with a charge for additional capacity at a cost of £10 for the first five bags and £1.85 per bag thereafter, a charge that is similar to Powys.

 

There was no supplementary question.

 

Other Business

Council was pleased to note the success of Dyffryn Tanat and Bro Ddyfi YFCs in the Montgomery YFC County Drama Festival.